Hame-tastener



(ModeL) J. J. CURRY.

HAME FASTENER.

No. 266,438. Patented Oct. 24,1882.

jVINVENTOR M ATTORNEYS.

I ATENT @rrrcn.

JOHN J. CURRY, ()F PLAINS, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAM E-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,438, dated October 24, 1882,

Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be itknownthatI,JoHNJ.OURRY,ofPlains,

in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsyl tion and combination of a bar provided with one or more ratchet-teeth, and a bar provided with a pivoted lever engaging with said ratchetteeth and operating after the manner of a cam, each of said bars being provided at its outer end with a hook for engagement with the loop or eye of the hame and abolt for preventing displacement, as hereinafter more particularly described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side view, partly in section, showing the position of the parts when the hames are fastened. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same. Fig.3 is a section taken in the line 00 a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modification.

A represents ametal bar which is curved to correspond with the shape of the lower end of a horse-collar, and is provided with lateral flanges a. The outer end ofthe bar A is formed into a hook, B, for engagement with the loop or eye formed at the lower end ot'a metal hame, or the loop or staple carried by a wooden hame. When the hook B is engaged with a hame its displacement is prevented by means of a bolt, 0, the inner end of which is tenoned and fits in a mortise, b, in the bar A, and the outer end is perforated and fits over a tenon on the end of the hook, where it is secured by a ring, 01, passing through a hole in said tenon. Near the other end of the bar A, on the under side, is a rib or fin, E, the edge of which is provided with one or more ratchet-teeth, 0, pointing toward the hooked end of the bar.

A represents a metal bar curved to correspond with the curve of the bar A, and having its outer end formed into a hook, B and provided with a bolt, 0 and fastening-ring d similar to those above described. This bar A is forked or divided into two branches, between which the fin E works. At the end of the fork between the branches is pivoted a forked lever, G, the short arm of which has at its end a cross-bar for engagement with the ratchet-teeth c, and the long arm is bent into a hal t'-rin g or finger-piece, I

The operation is as follows: The bars A A beingconnected to the hames by the hooksB B, the hames are placed around the collar and their ends brought toward each other in the same manneras whenahame-strapis used. Thelever Gris held in the position shown in dotted lines, and the cross-bar at the end of its short arm is engaged with one of the ratchet-teeth c. The lever is then moved around in the position shown in full lines, so that its long arm rests against the bar A, and the end of its short arm is outside of a line continued from the bar A through the pivotf. By this means the hames are drawn toward each other more tightly than it is possible to drawn them with a strap or any of the hame-fasteners now in general use, and are held perfectly secure in place on the collar. By pulling downward on the finger-piece g the position of the lever is reversed, so as to disengage it from the ratchet and allow the hames to. be separated.

The advantages of my invention are: It is cheap and simple in its construction and operation. Itfastens the hames more tightly and securely than is possible with a strap or any of the hames-fasteners in use. It can readily be adjusted to tit hames and collars of various sizes. It is strong and durable, not liable to break or wear out, and will last as long as any hames to which it may be applied. After once beingadjusted and fastened there is no stretching or straining, as in the case of straps, and the hames are alwaysin place with the desired degree of tightness, ali'ordingsafety to the hames and harness and ease and comfort to the animal.

Instead of the fastening-bolts shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the modification shown in Fig. 4 may be employed.

A plate or bolt, H, is hinged or pivoted at its upper end to the extreme end of the hook B, and is held in place, when engaged with the haine, by means of a springeatch, J, attached to the base of the hook.

' Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hame-t'astener consisting of a bar provided with one or more ratchet-teeth, and a forked bar provided with alever pivoted be tween its branches and engaging with the said ratchet-teeth and operating after the manner of a cam, said bars being provided with hooks for engagement with the halnes, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with the bar A, pro

Vided with the rib or fin E and ratchet-teeth 0, of the bar A and pivoted lever G, provided with the finger-piece g, substantially as and for the purposes herein described.

3. The combination, with the books I; B", of the bolts 0 having; tenons engaging with mortises in the bars and slots engaging with tenons on. the hooks, and the fastening-rings (l 1 tier securing said bolts, substantially as herein described.

J OHN J. CURRY.

Vv'itnesses:

MAURIQE J. Fox, THAI). M. OONNIFF. 

